Chapter 11: Cold

Everyone on the main team was assembled in the comm room and their attention went straight to Shepard as he entered. He had a dull throbbing headache that was putting him in a mood. He wondered if it was the result of joining minds with Liara. He glanced at her. She smiled. She looked much better. The color had returned to her cheeks and she seemed less shaken by what she had experienced. To be honest, Shepard didn't know what the hell had really happened. All he knew was that very suddenly, memories he had buried long ago were bobbing to the surface to haunt him. Memories of Akuze. He was just getting pieces, but it was enough to ruin his day, and he was fairly certain he would have trouble sleeping later.

"Okay," he began. "We'll be docking in about ten minutes. Already spoke with Noveria's control tower. Their security is tight so as long we we're there no one is to leave the ship." He glanced at Pressly "Let everyone else know that too."

Pressly nodded. "Understood, Sir."

Shepard looked back to the team. "They've already been a pain in my ass about carrying weapons there. I had to haggle with their chief of security so I can only bring two of you with me. Wrex I don't know how much muscle I'll need but better safe than sorry. Liara, are you ready too? I wanna get in, get what we need and get out."

"Shit I hate the cold," Wrex boomed.

"I'll go if Wrex is too much of a wimp," Ash offered jokingly.

"Don't push it, Williams." Wrex said flatly.

"All right, that's enough." Shepard didn't have the patience right now for anything non essential.

"We can't get off the ship at all?" Tali asked sadly from the corner. "I was hoping to check out a parts store I'd heard about." Shepard could almost see her frown.

"Sorry," He said. "They were specific. Everyone on the ship is just gonna have to amuse themselves somehow for the next…I dunno 48 hours or so."

"Who here plays cards?" Garrus asked.

"All right we gotta go," Shepard prodded. "Let's move out. Dismissed everyone." Everyone stood and headed out. Everyone but Ash, who lingered with a strange look on her face. "Williams?" Shepard said flatly. "There a problem?"

"No sir," She said. "It's just…You're taking Dr. T'soni with you?"

"I might need her when we find Benezia." He could see Ash resisting the urge to question his decision. He knew what she would say if she felt like she weren't overstepping. She would say that Liara was an archeologist, not a marine. She would ask if he was sure Liara could have his back, if she could hold her own in battle. They were valid questions. Shepard had asked them himself. He decided to answer all of them unprompted. "She's got a lot of biotic power. We saw that on Therum. I think she can hold her own, but I'm hoping we'll be able to avoid a firefight anyway."

"I know," she said. "And I don't mean to question you, sir. I apologize." She still looked like it was bothering her.

Shepard sighed. "Speak your mind, Williams."

She sighed in return. "Sir have I done something wrong?" she asked bluntly.

He furrowed his brow. "No. Why would you think that?"

She stood straight. "I haven't accompanied you on the last couple ground missions and I was wondering if there was a reason." She looked at his eyes with a clear sense of nonprofessional wonder. "If…I overstepped or something…"

"No," He said too quickly. "No. That's not it." He smiled. "I didn't mean to sideline you." He thought for a second, and then looked at her again. "I wanted you take a back seat after Feros for a bit with your injuries."

She raised an eyebrow. "Sir. That was a month ago. I'm all healed and ready to work. I was weeks ago."

"I know that." He replied.

"If you have any doubts that I can do my job, sir I'd like to put them to rest." She was serious. "And…if you were…" she cleared her throat. "showing…favoritism…for…whatever reason then stop it….Sir." She nodded, very clearly the soldier he'd met on Eden Prime.

He nodded, feeling well scolded. "Message received, Chief. Loud and clear. And I wasn't." He sighed. "Or maybe I was and didn't know it. I guess maybe I'm the one who overstepped." He hadn't meant to, but the suspicion that he had let his personal feelings for her get in the way hit him like a truck. He was disappointed in himself.

He saw her smile at him, in spite of the situation. "Just don't let it happen again, Skipper."

"I won't." He smiled back at her, making a real effort not to hold her gaze. "Enjoy your down time," he joked.

She laughed. "Can't wait." She said and turned to go. She paused, turned back and looked at him. Her expression was serious. "Watch your ass, Shepard." He nodded to her and then she turned and walked out.

Noveria was a frozen wasteland. From the moment Shepard, Wrex and Liara stepped off of the Normandy, they were met with resistance. Shepard didn't like to throw around his Spectre weight, but he had to admit it got him all kinds of access he could never have with only his Alliance credentials. Something stunk in Noveria. It was a familiar stink of corruption, greed, and shady, underhanded dealings. For all the dangerous situations Shepard had ever been in, he was thankful he didn't have to deal intimately with corporate slime balls. He'd rather be in a fox-hole fighting off thresher maws than have to police this crap on a daily basis.

After some quiet conversations, they discovered Benezia had in fact been there, but that she'd gone to Peak 15, the research facility for Exogeni not too far away. The real problem was the storm. There was no way to get to Peak 15 until after it had passed and that wouldn't happen for the few hours or so. After some grumbling by Wrex and some exasperated sighing by Shepard they resigned themselves to staying in a hotel for the night.

Shepard entered his room and turned on the lights. Like everything else in Noveria, the room was cold looking and hard, with cool recessed lighting. Everything was white or grey save for the blue piece of art that hung above the headboard of the bed, but even that was abstract with cold hard lines. He sat on the edge of the bed and ran a hand over his hair. His headache was still there, but he had to try to get some rest. He stripped to his boxers, lay on the bed and closed his eyes.

He'd learned to focus over the years, to drown out the unwanted images and thoughts, the sound of screams, the shriek of beasts. He began a slow, meticulous countdown from 100 in his head. For a long time after the counselor had suggested it, Shepard had thought it silly or stupid. Now it was his go to method of deprogramming. It was simple, like counting sheep or listening to some kind of white noise. Simple and effective. By the time he was at 57, he was ready to drift off and after a short fight with his natural defenses he was able to.

Kaidan was drunk.

Everyone was drunk. And laughing. Hysterically. Joker had just told them an embarrassing story about the night before they'd boarded the Normandy and a magenta haired waitress named Violet. Then he'd done his best Nihlus impression and Kaidan couldn't help himself from laughing full and loud.

Kaidan, Ashley, Garrus, Joker, Wesson, and Fitzer sat at the mess hall table. Their cards had long since been discarded into messy piles on the table and they had finished off a bottle of vodka already. Garrus had his own bottle. Fitzer had tried to take a sip earlier and Garrus had practically taken his arm off, claiming that if he drank it he might die because of the dextro protein content.

"I can't believe after all I did to set you up with that chick you failed to close the deal," Fitzer laughed at Joker.

"It wasn't my fault! She nearly puked!" Joker yelled.

"Never stopped me," Fitzer claimed.

"You're a winner, Fitzer. True class." Ash could barely say it she was laughing so hard, and now her face was buried in Kaidan's shoulder.

Kaidan just shook his head. He wasn't sure how they'd convinced him to drink so much. It was an accidental drunk he realized. He wasn't much of a drinker, but all his work and then some was done and he hadn't had a way to pass the time.

"I'm not proud" Fitzer said.

As the laughter died down Ash added. "You know I didn't meet Nihlus. I just saw him there on Eden Prime...all...dead..."

"Yeah," Kaidan said. "That wasn't exactly what we'd planned."

The room was quiet for a second before Garrus spoke. "Way to bring the room down, Williams."

"Sorry!" She exclaimed. "I didn't mean to. I'm normally a happy drunk I swear." She looked at Kaidan. "Not that I drink. Hardly ever actually."

Wesson took another shot. "I drink all the time." She winked at Kaidan, a gesture he didn't mind in the moment. "Helps me get the reports right."

Joker stood, wobbling. "Shit I'm drunk. What the hell is that stuff?"

"It's just human vodka," Garrus said innocently. "Isn't' it all right?" Kaidan liked Garrus. He seemed to be a well meaning man, and it was nice that he had finally taken the time to socialize with some of the human crew.

Joker picked up the bottle. "Holy…this stuff is like a bajillion proof!"

"What?" Ash said. "Lemme see that." She clumsily reached across Kaidan's lap and the table and grabbed the bottle. She didn't even reposition herself as she read it. "Woooahhhh…" she said in a low tone. She clambered awkwardly back to her spot, the palm of her hand landing hard near Kaidan's crotch, causing him to jump.

"Woah!" he barked.

"Sorry," she said. "Shit, you guys…." She paused for dramatic effect. "We are all wasted."

Everyone laughed again. Now Kaidan understood why he'd felt like he'd barely drank anything but was extremely intoxicated. He grabbed the bottle and looked at it. "Oh great," he said. "This will be good for my headaches." He noticed he slurred just the slightest bit when he said it. He cursed inwardly.

"Too strong for you humans then?" Garrus chuckled.

"Yep. Well I'm a bed," Fitzer said. He got up clumsily and staggered off without another word. Ash collapsed laughing onto the table, then ended up leaning on Kaidan. He put his arm around her lazily and laughed himself.

"Think I should too," Wesson said. "Before I make an ass of me." She walked off in the same direction as Fitzer. "Hey! Fitzer wait!"

"Fly's not gonna ship itself," Joker said. "Oh wait. We're not flying. Bedtime!"

"Watch yourself Joker," Garrus called out. "Don't want to break anything."

"Yeah yeah," He said back as he limped off.

Garrus sighed. "I suppose I should go too." Looks like the party's over. "See you later, Lieutenant. Williams." He walked off, leaving Ash and Kaidan sitting in the mess alone.

"Okay," Ash said, gesturing. "I call off the record." Kaidan had to laugh. She had a lazy smile on her face and her eyes were slightly glazed. "I'm serious. You can't….nothing we I've said or…anyone. Just…"

"What?" Kaidan was fully amused by her lack of motor control.

Ash suddenly pouted sadly. "Just this was kind of an accident and all happened you know…"

"Really fast," Kaidan finished.

"Yes." She pointed at him. "That. So I get a free pass without you thinking I'm some…drunk who can't pull her weight…" She nodded.

Kaidan got serious. "Ash I know you're not." The booze was perhaps making him a bit maudlin at the moment, but he suddenly felt the need to have a heart to heart with her. "You're really good at what you do. I know it. Shepard knows it. Hell the Alliance knows it. Don't worry."

She smiled. "Good," she said quietly. "Someone…knows it. That's good." She looked down at the table.

"So how are you doing?" Kaidan asked. It was an open ended question but he was hoping for an honest response.

She shrugged. "I'm five by five L.T." She said confidently, then looked off and her face fell. After a short pause she continued. "I miss them," she said quietly. "All of them."

Kaidan nodded. "Your unit…"

Ash nodded. "I can't stop seein' 'em you know? I mean I'm dealing" she corrected. "But…it's just…" she looked down and shook her head again. "Doesn't seem fair."

Kaidan knew he had to choose his next words very carefully. "Nothing ever does," he decided was good. "If it's any consolation… we all have our demons."

She looked at him. "Can't picture you with demons, Alenko."

He half smiled. "I have them."

"Nuh uh."

"I do." He chuckled. "I'm…dark and mysterious with a painful past," he joked, though a small part of him knew that he wasn't joking.

"Ah," Ash smiled. They were thankfully back into joking territory. "Is that how you get all those ladies?"

"What ladies?"

Ash shrugged. "All of them?" She laughed. "Or is it your magical, sparkly sad brown puppy eyes?" She rested her chin in her hand and smiled at him.

"I don't have puppy eyes," He argued.

"What. Ever." She poked at him. "Face it, Lieutenant. You are dreamy with a capital D." She poked a couple more times, prompting him to smack her hand away. "Remember I get a free pass!" she added.

"Quit it." They laughed again. "All right I have to go to bed."

"This is gonna hurt tomorrow."

"Yeah." Kaidan said. "Think I'll leave this out of my report to Shepard."

"Goooood callll." Ash drew the words out as she stood and collapsed quickly back into a chair. She was really hammered. The inebriation had really snuck up on all of them.

"Come on, Chief," Kaidan said and hauled her to her feet. She walked with him, fully capable of getting herself to her bunk, but his overprotective streak had kicked in.

"I can do it," she protested.

"You'll bust that hard head of yours. Come on." They made it to Ash's bunk. There were a few sleeping crew members in the room already as Kaidan released her and let her plop onto the bed in the dark. She laid down immediately and grabbed his hand and patted it.

"Hey Alenko?" She said.

"Yeah." He whispered.

"You're a good kid." Then she giggled. He couldn't help himself from smiling.

"Williams don't make me kick your ass. Good night."

"Good night, sir."

Kaidan turned and headed for his own bunk on the other side of the room. He didn't even remember lying down and passing out.

Liara couldn't sleep. She rolled in her hotel bed and sighed. When she'd seen the images from the Prothean beacon it was as if years of her research had suddenly come to life. She was hungry for more information. Seeing those things when she'd joined with Shepard had been like a dream for her, but it was the many other things she saw in Shepard's mind that really piqued her interest. When they'd joined, a flood of memories, experiences and emotions had transferred to her. The joining had been necessary yes, but it was also an extremely personal act usually reserved for a partnering. Shepard would have received similar information from Liara. In the very truest sense, they had been as intimate as lovers. Liara couldn't help but feel as if she knew Shepard better than anyone did. The thought made her uneasy, but also excited her. In truth, she wanted, needed to know more.

The pieces she'd put together were fascinating. She suspected that Shepard's parents, both military had been tough on him growing up. They were strict, and his relationship with both of them was built more on respect than anything else. She saw a woman Shepard had seemed to love very much, and she got the sense that it had not worked out because of his commitment to his career. He sometimes still regretted how it had ended. She felt that too.

She saw Akuze and the horror that Shepard saw there. She felt his fear, his terror, his desperation and determination. Many details of that memory were blocked from her, which meant much of it was blocked for him as well, buried deep in the farthest reaches of his soul.

More than anything Liara had felt Shepard's burden. He carried a great weight. A tremendous responsibility had been thrust upon his shoulders. He carried the lives of his crew in his hands, and he knew it. He was protective of them, even the ones that had just joined him, the non-humans, Liara herself. She felt the daily stress, saw how his mind raced, calculated, planned, and adjusted to variables. She was impressed. She knew that few beings, especially a race as young as humans could carry that weight alone. And he was doing it with a level head, with a sense of outward calm. He was like the eye of a hurricane, controlled and observant as the storm raged on around him. The thought conjured up sexual imagery for her. She almost blushed, even as she lay alone in her bed.

She was drawn to the Commander in many ways, including physically. She had never been attracted to a human before. But then, Liara spent most of her time avoiding most people, Asari, human or otherwise. She was shy, socially awkward, young and inexperienced. She wondered if he had felt her attraction to him, something that she wouldn't be able to hide during the joining of their minds. She'd felt something back from him, she thought, but what it was she couldn't be sure. Perhaps she was only hoping.

She'd also sensed a….fondness… for Chief Williams, though Liara thought she might just be projecting that she had. The mystery of it puzzled and frustrated Liara. If she knew exactly how he felt, she could plan her actions accordingly. If he had feelings for Williams, Liara would not make her own known. But she couldn't know, not from the joining. She scolded herself silently at the thought. There was so much to do, so many things to accomplish. She wouldn't mention her feelings to him even she had felt he would reciprocate.

Shepard was intimidating, blunt, authoritative and strong. He was a warrior and could strike fear into the heart of the most deadly Krogan battle master. But Shepard was also kind and compassionate and honest. She knew it from the way he spoke to his crew and mostly she saw it in his heart. He was a good man who believed in doing the honorable thing. He believed that good could triumph over evil. He was the tortured hero, and she wanted to comfort him.

She sighed with frustration as she looked at the clock. She would need to be up in about four hours. There was no way she was getting to sleep. Her thoughts drifted to Benezia then. "Oh mother," she sighed. "What have you done?"

In the morning, Shepard was able to get access to a vehicle in the garage. Wrex drove carefully along the frozen roads until they came to the facility at Peak 15. The storm had passed but everything was still a frozen wasteland. He'd ordered Wrex to slow down three times after he'd nearly driven them off a cliff. Shepard had to admit, Noveria's surface had its own kind of icy, cold beauty. The sun was out and the glacier blue ice seemed to glow. They exited the vehicle, the cold penetrating even their sealed suits. Ten minutes without that kind of protection and they would have frozen to death. As they approached the facility it loomed at them. It seemed carved out of the side of the mountain, a part of it instead of a scientific facility. It was eerily still. Shepard had a strange feeling in his gut.

"It's quiet," Wrex said.

"Too quiet," Liara responded, her voice a bit shaky.

"Too too quiet," both Shepard and Wrex stated in unison. He looked at the Krogan, who seemed to sneer a smile at him at their common joke.

"I don't even wanna know what they do here," Wrex said as they entered the warm corridor. As it shut behind them, they were blasted with a wave of hot air. Liara looked nervous. Shepard noticed.

"Hey," he said. "You okay?" She nodded unconvincingly. He knew it must be hard for her. To face her mother after all these years would be difficult enough, but knowing she was a traitor, that she'd sided with Saren must have made it unbearable. He wasn't sure how to comfort her. "Just stay close to me," he said. "If we hit trouble, keep your head down as much as possible and when you get a chance throw everything you got at 'em." She nodded again, this time more convincingly. Shepard actually had no idea what to expect when they entered the compound. Would they face an army of Geth? Benezia herself? He was hoping he was prepared for both.

The structure looked deserted. As they moved quickly and stealthily through it, weapons drawn they saw no signs of any life. The only noise was the metallic creaking of the foundation in the wind outside.

"This is damn creepy, Shepard," Wrex remarked.

"We're all clear here," Shepard said as he exited the last of the offices. "Let's get that tram to the other structure, see what's there."

"Hopefully something to shoot," quipped Wrex. "I'm bored now." Wrex was a simple kind of Krogan and Shepard admired that. He was a warrior, a killer, terrifying when he needed to be and sometimes when he didn't need to be. Shepard was glad he was on their side.

As soon as they got off the tram, Shepard's alarms went off. His years of honing his gut instinct told him something wasn't right. No sooner had he felt it, than they heard a horrific, piercing screech. It surely wasn't human, but it wasn't anything Shepard had ever heard either. The floor not ten feet away from them suddenly burst open and a hideous, insect-like beast spewed forth and reared up to attack.

"What is that?" Liara cried.

"Who cares?" Wrex said calmly, and immediately blasted the beast, cutting off its screech and sending green insides exploding forth. It fell immediately. "Finally." Shepard just looked at him, mildly amused.

"It looks like some sort of… I don't know what it is," Liara said. "Xenobiology is not my area of expertise."

"Maybe it's something Exogeni created in their lab," Shepard said.

"Rachni," Wrex grumbled. Shepard looked at him. "This is bad news, Shepard."

Shepard nodded, scanning the area with his eyes. "Well, I think we can probably count on seeing more of them."

"Good" Wrex rumbled and cocked his shotgun.

Guns drawn, they rounded the nearest corner, Shepard in the lead. The bullet just missed his head, hitting the wall behind him, sending a spark flying. He ducked back around the corner.

"Hold your fire!" He heard someone yell. He paused for just a second before cautiously peering around the corner again. There were several armed men. He walked out slowly and towards them, one hand up to show he meant no harm. "Holy shit, man." The haggard man exclaimed. "We almost killed you. Sorry. We're a little on edge."

"I'd only be pissed if you'd hit me," Shepard said. "Shepard, Alliance Navy."

"Aw crap are we glad to see you, sir. I'm Miller." The men with guns had a makeshift barricade up. Their eyes were red and they looked exhausted.

"What happened here?" Shepard asked.

Miller shook his head, ran a hand through his hair. "Oh man," he said. "Those things. I don't know. Shit. They must have gotten out or….or something. They've killed damn near twenty of my people."

"We have seen them," Liara said.

"They're not so tough," Added Wrex.

"Yeah well, we've been having a hell of a time with them. We've been taking stims and doing double shifts but they just keep coming every few hours or so."

"Why didn't you radio?" Shepard asked the obvious question.

The man shrugged. "Storm cut the power. Been days since we've been able to get in contact with anyone. They finally send you?"

Shepard shook his head. "I'm here for something else, but we'll make sure you and your team get out. How many are you?"

The guy's cheek twitched. "There're us five here, about ten more guards down in the bunks with about fifteen civilian scientists."

Shepard nodded to show he understood, but he needed to complete his mission. "We're looking for an Asari Matriarch." Shepard said.

Miller looked a little uncomfortable. "Yeah," he said. "She came through here. Had a bunch of commandos with her and a few things I've never seen before in my life. She headed to one of the other labs. Shit. As if we didn't have enough problems."

"You think she had something to do with these things being released?" Shepard asked.

"I don't know," Miller replied. "Icy bitch though. I'd watch yourself." He motioned with his head. "You can take the maintenance entrance back that way. Leads to the hot labs. That's where she went I think, but that was at least 24 hours or so."

"Thanks," said Shepard. I'll radio for evac for your people."

"Thank you, sir," Miller said. "Watch yourself, Shepard."

They made their way down the maintenance passage. Shepard was ready for anything at this point. Nothing about Noveria had been what he expected, and the added variable of violent creatures wasn't helping. They met a couple more on their way and quickly put them down. Wrex seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Why would there be Rachni here?" Liara asked. "They must have been performing experiments, but… that is very dangerous. And cruel…"

"Cruel?" Wrex said. "The Rachni should have been wiped out completely a long time ago."

"They are sentient creatures, Wrex" Liara countered. "To experiment on them is the equivalent of…of a war crime!"

Wrex scoffed. "Those animals we just met didn't seem so sentient to me."

Liara didn't respond, simply choosing to concentrate on the task at hand apparently. They came upon the lab door and opened it. When they entered they found who Shepard assumed to be Benezia standing next to a tank that held one of the same creatures they'd seen. Only this creature was larger.

As Benezia spoke, and as Liara pleaded with her mother, Shepard understood that this confrontation would no doubt end violently, an outcome he had hoped to avoid. Benezia's mind was poisoned. She spoke of the Rachni, the creatures they'd seen, the Reapers, and Saren who would bring it all upon them. In short, the Matriarch had lost her marbles. Shepard could hear the pain in Liara's voice as she spoke with her mother. He grabbed her arm though as she tried to step forward to her, knowing it would be a bad move.

Eventually, there was nothing any one of them could say. Benezia was talked out.

Shepard watched as the blue corona of biotic energy swelled around her. He heard the doors to the lab open and the boots of Asari commandos and Geth troopers pounding on metal. He had just enough time to push Liara behind a crate before the firefight began. Shots rang in Shepard's ears as he took cover and began picking off their enemies one by one. To his surprise, Liara was a crack shot with her pistol. He quickly reminded himself that she was, after all 106 years old and had probably had some sort of combat training over the years. Her biotic power was also an impressive display. She levitated and threw their enemies, blasted them with pushes and thankfully was pretty good at reinforcing their shields. Shepard felt himself get hit several times, but hoped there was no real damage. When adrenaline was pumping sometimes it was hard to tell if he'd even been hit. Shepard watched Wrex bludgeon a commando, then turn and expertly blast another with his shotgun. He was having a field day.

When the dust had settled, Benezia had been fatally wounded though he wasn't sure by whom. In her last few minutes she was lucid and she began to speak as herself. She told them all about Saren, his plan, his control over her. She handed Shepard a data disc. Liara was at her side. He could see the pain on her face as she watched her mother slip away. Benezia had helped them in the end and paid a terrible price for doing so. When she was finally still, Liara touched her face, clearly heartbroken, fighting off tears. Shepard touched her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Liara." No sooner had he said it than the corpse of a commando shot up and pressed its back against the glass tank that held the Rachni creature. Shepard and Wrex aimed their weapons at it, but then it began to speak. Or rather it began making a sound that sounded vaguely like speech. The Rachni was speaking through the corpse. It was one of the strangest things Shepard had ever seen. The Rachni told them she was their queen, told them their history, and told them what they had done to her and her offspring there. Eventually, to his surprise, Shepard was convinced by the Queen to release her, and he promised to destroy the offspring that were still locked in the labs.

"You're letting her go?" Wrex yelled. "What the hell is wrong with you, Shepard? The Rachni are dangerous. They proved that a millennia ago and you're just gonna let it crawl out of here?"

"If Shepard were to kill this creature he would be dooming an ancient race to extinction, Wrex," Liara sounded like herself again.

Wrex stepped forward. "Then I'll do it." He boomed. Shepard stepped in front of him. "Out of my way, Shepard," Wrex said quietly. Shepard narrowed his eyes.

"I'm letting her go, Wrex. You don't like it feel free to get to hell off my ship." Wrex closed one eye and glared at Shepard with the other. After a moment he backed off and turned away, fuming. Shepard was admittedly a touch relieved.

He turned to the tank and hit the release, then watched the queen exit. A twist in his gut made him hope he was doing the right thing, but he believed it was.

"Let's finish off the others and get out of here," he said. He touched Liara's arm as he passed her and then they headed to the other lab to eliminate the rest of the creatures. The task itself proved fairly easy, as the majority of the corrupted Rachni were concentrated in one spot and the blast radius of the bomb they set off took care of them. When it was all over Shepard radioed for evac for the people in the bunks and he and his team headed back to The Normandy.

The debrief for the crew was short. Shepard was filthy, tired. The Council gave him their usual disapproval especially regarding the Rachni queen. Ashley, Kaidan and Garrus seemed more sluggish than usual. It was obvious they were hungover as they listened to his report. He decided to let it slide. He was tired. When he was finished he thought he'd better see how Liara was doing, so he made his way down to the med lab, where he knew he would find her.

As soon as he walked in he could tell she'd been crying.

"Hello Shepard," She said.

"How are you doing?" He asked. She reminded him of a little girl, the way she sat, hunched over, her feet turned in a little. She looked vulnerable.

"I am fine. Thank you." She looked down. "I am sad for Benezia, but she chose her fate. And so I must accept her death. I am grateful to you for taking me with you. I am sorry I could not be more convincing with her." She fidgeted with her hands. Shepard leaned on the desk next to her.

"You did just fine," he reassured. "There was nothing anyone could do. Don't blame yourself." She smiled thinly at him and he could see that her eyes were barely holding back tears again. He lowered his voice. "If you need to talk…" Shepard wasn't usually the type to comfort people, but he had a lot of sympathy for Liara, and he realized, a bit of a soft spot.

She nodded at him. "Thank you, Shepard. For everything. If you will excuse me, I would like to be alone for awhile." He nodded at her and walked out.

He cracked his neck as he walked to his quarters. There was a tender spot on his ribcage where he must have been hit and he wondered if his ribs were cracked. His mind was already racing with planning their next step. He found Ashley in the mess trying to look like she hadn't been waiting for him to pass by. But he suspected she had been. He walked up to her.

"Pretty heavy stuff," she said.

"Yeah," he said. "Didn't really go the way I'd hoped, but at least we have something to go on now."

"Yeah. Even if the Mu Relay leads to dozens of systems it still a start." Ash looked at him and must have noticed him wince at his rib cage. "You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. Yeah it's nothing. Just caught a round I think."

Ash smiled ever so slightly. "Should have taken me with you," she joked.

He chuckled. "That'll teach me."

"So… how is she? Dr. T'soni. I mean losing her mom and all." Ash was genuinely sympathetic.

"She'll be all right. She's tougher than she looks."

Ashley nodded. He could tell she was going to say something else before she did. The air in the room had changed. Their conversations, while professional on the surface, sometimes had a more intimate undertone. It was clear to him that Ash was indeed a little threatened by the presence of Liara. Maybe threatened wasn't the word. Maybe curious was better. She was clearly dying to figure out what Shepard's thoughts on Liara were. She finally spoke.

"Well its good she has someone to talk to. I mean...you know."

Shepard smiled. Ashley was practically squirming. For all her quick, biting wit, self confidence and great looks, in that moment Shepard saw Ash a little insecure and awkward. She was full of surprises. After a second, he gave her a reprieve.

"She's not really my type if that's what you mean." He said simply, knowing she would catch his meaning, not caring that it was probably not appropriate. His eyes met Ash's.

She laughed. "Yeah I guess that wasn't very subtle, was it?" She cleared her throat and looked down.

"You blushing, Williams?" he teased.

She scoffed. They both chuckled. And then Shepard shook his head. "I'm more into the adventurous type anyway," he said, bringing a smirk to her face.

"Well that was even less subtle, Skipper." Ash's voice was soft, her eyes steady on his. Shepard could pin point it, the exact moment when he knew none of their further interactions would be the same. They had just turned a corner, one he was sure they were both aware of. Things were going to get complicated. Of that he was suddenly very certain.

She finally pulled her gaze from him. "You need a shower," she laughed. "You look like hell." She walked away then, leaving him to look after her. After a moment he turned and walked to his quarters. He glanced in his bathroom mirror. He did look like hell. His stubble was too long and his eyes had bags under them. If Ash was anything she was honest. Ash was a lot of things, he decided. Then he put it all out of his mind.

It was too much to hope, as he showered that he would be able to forget about the daunting tasks ahead of all of them. He knew he probably wouldn't sleep that night. His military brain was piecing together the puzzle, forming a plan of attack, calculating, plotting, simulating. He had a lot of work to do.